Kli Chemdah, homilies and commentaries on Midrash Rabbah on the Torah, by R. Shmuel Laniado of Aleppo. Venice: Giovanni (Zuan) di Gara, 1594-1595. First edition.
Homilies on Midrash Rabbah, according to the order of the Torah portions.
The author, R. Shmuel Laniado (1530-1605; LiKedoshim Asher BaAretz, 275), a Torah scholar of Safed and leader of the Jewish community in Aleppo, Syria, where he was dispatched by his teacher – R. Yosef Karo, author of the Shulchan Aruch. Known as Baal HaKelim, after his works: Kli Chemdah, Kli Paz, Kli Golah and Kli Yakar.
The title page gives the date of printing as 1594 (slight error in chronogram), while the colophon on p. 268b gives the date as 17th Tishrei 1595.
Handwritten inscription on title page: "From the sons of the deceased R. Yosef Alatino".
270, 6, [1] leaves. 29.5 cm. Good-fair condition. Stains, including dampstains and traces of former dampness, with light mold stains. Worming, partially repaired with paper. Small marginal tears to several leaves. Verso of title page repaired with paper. Old binding.
On the title page appears the printer's device of Yosef son of Yaakov Shalit of Padua – a shield with a peacock, surrounded by a rhyme and topped with a crown (Yosef son of Yaakov Shalit appears not to have been involved in the printing of the book, and the illustration is only decorative; see: Y. Yudlov, Diglei Madpisim, Jerusalem 2002, p. 22).
CB, no. 7051,1.
